This invention relates to starter interlocks for engines and, more particularly, to starter interlocks for engines wherein speed control is provided by the coordinated operation of a timer plate and a throttle valve.
For various reasons, including a potential safety hazard to the operator, it is desirable to provide internal combustion engines, such as outboard motor engines and the like, with a starter interlock mechanism which is arranged to prevent engine starting when the speed control mechanism is at an advanced speed setting. In some engines, particularly two-cycle engines for outboard motors and the like, speed control is effected in part by the timing and in part by movement of the engine throttle valve. Speed control mechanisms including a connection between the timer plate and the throttle valve for concurrent operation of these two speed controlling devices are known. Examples of prior art speed control mechanisms of this type are disclosed in the Shimanckas U.S. Pat. No. 2,723,655, issued Nov. 15, 1955, and the Soder U.S. Pat. No. 2,906,251, issued Sept. 29, 1959, and the Williams U.S. Pat. No. 2,988,929, issued June 20, 1961. The first of these patents discloses a multi-component starter interlock mechanism including a detent which is operated in response to movement of the throttle valve connection and engages lugs on the starter pulley to prevent rotation of the starter pulley when the throttle valve is at an advanced speed setting. Attention also is directed to the Hamman U.S. Pat. No. 3,267,922, issued Aug. 23, 1966, the Tillotson et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,906,921, issued Sept. 23, 1975, and the Fuelling et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,958,398, issued May 25, 1976, for other examples of prior art constructions for engine starters and starter interlocks.